Ancient Monuments

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Two round barrows 690m south of Bethal Slack and 980m south of reservoir

A Scheduled Monument in Guisborough, Redcar and Cleveland

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Coordinates

Latitude: 54.5038 / 54°30'13"N

Longitude: -1.0202 / 1°1'12"W

OS Eastings: 463544.369312

OS Northings: 512497.209666

OS Grid: NZ635124

Mapcode National: GBR PJ9C.X8

Mapcode Global: WHF8M.92F4

Entry Name: Two round barrows 690m south of Bethal Slack and 980m south of reservoir

Scheduled Date: 26 July 1976

Last Amended: 31 January 1997

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1015443

English Heritage Legacy ID: 28267

County: Redcar and Cleveland

Civil Parish: Guisborough

Traditional County: Yorkshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): North Yorkshire

Church of England Parish: Guisborough St Nicholas

Church of England Diocese: York

Details

The monument includes two round barrows situated in a prominent position on
the north edge of the North York Moors.
The barrows lie close together, one being 18m to the east of the other. Both
of the barrows have an earth and stone mound and each was originally
surrounded by a kerb of stones which defined the barrow and supported the
mound. However over the years some of the stones have been taken away or been
buried by soil slipping off the mounds. The western barrow stands 0.8m high
and 12m in diameter. There are kerb stones visible on the south side. The
eastern barrow mound is 11m in diameter and stands 0.7m high and there are no
kerb stones visible. Each mound has a hollow in the centre resulting from
excavations in the past. There is a large upright stone set in the ground 10m
west of the monument.
The barrows lie in an area rich in prehistoric monuments including further
barrows, field systems and clearance cairns.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments
dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most
examples belonging to the period 2400-1500 BC. They were constructed as
earthen or rubble mounds, sometimes ditched, which covered single or multiple
burials. They occur either in isolation or grouped as cemeteries and often
acted as a focus for burials in later periods. Often superficially similar,
although differing widely in size, they exhibit regional variations in form
and a diversity of burial practices. There are over 10,000 surviving bowl
barrows recorded nationally (many more have already been destroyed), occurring
across most of lowland Britain. Often occupying prominent locations, they are
a major historic element in the modern landscape and their considerable
variation of form and longevity as a monument type provide important
information on the diversity of beliefs and social organisations amongst early
prehistoric communities. They are particularly representative of their period
and a substantial proportion of surviving examples are considered worthy of
protection.

Despite limited disturbance, these barrows have survived well. Significant
information about the original form of the barrows and the burials placed
within them will be preserved. Evidence of earlier land use will also survive
beneath the barrow mounds.
Together with other barrows in the area they are thought to also represent a
territorial marker. Similar groups of monuments are also known across the west
and central areas of the North York Moors, providing important insight into
burial practice. Such groupings of monuments offer important scope for the
study of the division of land for social and ritual purposes in different
geographical areas during the prehistoric period.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Elgee, F, Early Man in NE Yorkshire, (1930), 148
Spratt, D A , 'Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology in North East Yorkshire' in Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology of North East Yorkshire, (1993), 91-116
Spratt, D A , 'Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology in North East Yorkshire' in Prehistoric and Roman Archaeology of North East Yorkshire, (1993), 91-116

Source: Historic England

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